Alarm systems for automobiles are known in the art for preventing the theft of an automobile, or the theft of objects inside of an automobile such as stereo receivers, compact disc players, etc. However, alarm systems are of little effect when the automobile is left unattended in a remote area. Moreover, for automobile owners that do not use alarm systems because of their expense or inconvenience (i.e., false alarms), alternative antitheft devices such as those that lock the steering wheel to the brake pedal, or that lock to the steering wheel to obstruct its operation have provided some deterrence to theft of the automobile, but have not protected the dashboard components of the car from theft or vandalism.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,127 to Johnson shows a popular antitheft device that hooks onto the opposite sides of the rim of a steering wheel while extending beyond the periphery of the wheel. Rotation of the wheel with this type of device locked in place is limited by the engagement of the extended part of the device with the interior of the car or its driver. Although theft of the automobile may be obstructed by such a device, a thief may still remove or vandalize a stereo receiver or the like while these hook devices are locked to the steering wheel. Therefore, for the owner of an automobile that does not want or cannot afford the expense of an alarm system, there is little protection available that adequately protects both the automobile and its dashboard components from theft.
Even the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,433 to Wang for locking both the steering wheel and the stereo receiver of a car has limitations in that the device can be quickly overcome. The device disclosed by Wang uses the known diametrically opposed pair of hooks to lock onto the rim of the steering wheel, while extending past the wheel to block the stereo receiver from removal by positioning a plate in front of the receiver. However, the device can still be rotated relative to the steering wheel, allowing the plate to be moved away from the stereo receiver so that the receiver is no longer being blocked. Additionally, the device may have enough play in some applications so that the plate may be pivoted away from the stereo by the hinged arrangement disclosed in one embodiment thereof, or simply unscrewed from the exposed screws disclosed in another embodiment.
The theft of automobiles and of increasingly expensive dashboard components such as stereo receivers, cassette tape and CD players and the vandalism that typically occurs during the theft have added to the spiraling costs of auto insurance. Accordingly, there is a need for an antitheft device that can protect both a car and its dashboard components from theft while overcoming the shortfalls described above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a security device for an automobile that protects a car from theft while simultaneously protecting dashboard equipment from theft.
It is a further object of the present invention to accomplish the above stated objects by utilizing an apparatus which is simple in design and use, and economical to manufacture.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.